Hi,
I’m after some guidance. A member of our indoor staff has gone long term sick and I was asked to cover their hours (10-6) last week. I am unable to do this any further as I have commitments in the afternoon ( I have to care for my grandchild) and I really don’t want to be indoors. I applied for this job as I was fed up of office work. My contracted hours are usually 06.50 to 14.30 give or take. The management seemed to be insinuating they wanted me to cover the later hours indefinitely, which I can’t do and I told them this last week. The DOM called me in the office today and said I was told at induction I am expected to be flexible, and as a reserve, should be expected to change my hours. I was at no point in the induction told anything of the sort. He said I have to write him a letter under the Family Friendly policy saying why I can’t work late and hope it’s accepted? It seems a bit crazy that I have to justify why I can only work the hours I applied for in the first place? There are 10 other reserves and two of them started after me so why am I being singled out? If they don’t accept my reason for not being able to work until 6pm, where do I stand? I love this job, and I understand it’s difficult when trying to cover when someone goes sick, but we are already seriously short staffed, so surely it would make more sense to take someone on temporarily to cover the absence?
Thanks in advance.
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Can they make me change my hours?
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Amethyst1978
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 05 Jun 2018, 19:33
- Gender: Female
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Chalky13
- Posts: 155
- Joined: 10 Nov 2018, 05:29
- Gender: Male
Can they make me change my hours?
How long have you been employed?
As I understand it, flexibility as a new starter is stated because in the first few months you may be expected to go over possibly to ensure you finish.
That was stated to me from our DOM, as a line manager said we should be flexible and work any hours they want or it may impact being taken on.
The DOM corrected that.
However, what does your contract state? Are you employed as 6:30-14:30 as a postman? If so, they can ask you to change but you don’t have to
As I understand it, flexibility as a new starter is stated because in the first few months you may be expected to go over possibly to ensure you finish.
That was stated to me from our DOM, as a line manager said we should be flexible and work any hours they want or it may impact being taken on.
The DOM corrected that.
However, what does your contract state? Are you employed as 6:30-14:30 as a postman? If so, they can ask you to change but you don’t have to
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Amethyst1978
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 05 Jun 2018, 19:33
- Gender: Female
Can they make me change my hours?
I have been with RM since June, and yes I’m employed for around those hours as a postwoman. The hours differ slightly each day due to the shorter working week, but my contact is for 6.30-14.30.Chalky13 wrote:How long have you been employed?
As I understand it, flexibility as a new starter is stated because in the first few months you may be expected to go over possibly to ensure you finish.
That was stated to me from our DOM, as a line manager said we should be flexible and work any hours they want or it may impact being taken on.
The DOM corrected that.
However, what does your contract state? Are you employed as 6:30-14:30 as a postman? If so, they can ask you to change but you don’t have to
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SpacePhoenix
- MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
- Posts: 12142
- Joined: 12 Nov 2008, 17:03
- Gender: Male
Can they make me change my hours?
As a reserve you do the hours and days of the duty that you cover. What is the indoor duty? Only two possibilities I can think of are the SD Locker or the Callers Office
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Amethyst1978
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 05 Jun 2018, 19:33
- Gender: Female
Can they make me change my hours?
Hi,SpacePhoenix wrote:As a reserve you do the hours and days of the duty that you cover. What is the indoor duty? Only two possibilities I can think of are the SD Locker or the Callers Office
Yes, it’s to cover the callers office, but none of the others reserves have been asked to cover it as far as I know. Do our contacted hours not really mean anything then? Sorry, I’m fairly new, so not really sure of where I stand.
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SpacePhoenix
- MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
- Posts: 12142
- Joined: 12 Nov 2008, 17:03
- Gender: Male
Can they make me change my hours?
Any difference in the amount of time you or the other reserves have spend covering the callers office before?
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hero22
- Posts: 581
- Joined: 21 Mar 2016, 19:48
- Gender: Male
Can they make me change my hours?
How long is ur contracted hours per week ? Similar issue arose so I told them I wud only do my contracted hours which at the time was only 25 hours. Solved the problem.
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Sir Henry
- Posts: 1316
- Joined: 24 Oct 2014, 00:33
- Gender: Male
Can they make me change my hours?
There's being flexible them there's being a contortionist.
Get onto your office rep or area rep if you get no joy from your office rep and tell them what the screws have said re: flexibility.,
Why can't every reserve do a stint I. The callers office until the colleague on sick leave returns?
Kick up a stink, they'll probably go and pick on someone else.
Get onto your office rep or area rep if you get no joy from your office rep and tell them what the screws have said re: flexibility.,
Why can't every reserve do a stint I. The callers office until the colleague on sick leave returns?
Kick up a stink, they'll probably go and pick on someone else.
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